Could Sex and the City 2 make Abu Dhabi a new travel hotspot?

You’ve hardly failed to notice that Sex and the City 2 is about to hit cinemas on Friday (to almost universally bad reviews – read some below).

But don’t worry, we’re not about to wax lyrical on the relative merits of Carrie’s footwear or Samantha’s shagging habits.

A section of the new movie takes place when the girls go on holiday to Abu Dhabi (the film was actually shot in Morocco, but who’s quibbling?). So we thought we’d give you a travel breakdown on the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

When to visit:

You’re pretty much guaranteed sunshine in Abu Dhabi but be warned, you’ll need to dress modestly.

What is there to do in Abu Dhabi?

Abu Dhabi is well geared up for tourists. You can go sailing,
horseback riding, camel riding, scuba diving, canoeing, bird watching
or shopping in the biggest malls you’ll ever see.

And some unique pluses:

Dune bashing: Drive off-road in a four-wheel drive (4WD) on the tricky desert sand dunes.  Scary but fun!

Watch a falconry display.

Visit a Bedouin village and camp out in the desert.

Need to know:

You’ll only be able to booze it up at hotels and resorts and you’ll
need to behave yourself. Snogging in public will get you in trouble
with the authorities (this was actually the reason why SATC2 couldn’t be filmed here).

Flying to Abu Dhabi

The following airlines fly to Abu Dhabi:

GulfAir.com/Abu-Dhabi

etihadairways.com  
qatarairways.com/uk
  
britishairways.com

Book a tour:

travelsearch.bugbitten.com/search_tours/TNT_online

Get more info at: visitabudhabi.ae/en

Now read what the critics have been saying about SATC2:

“The
experience of listening to the girls complain about their fairy-tale
lives from the comfort of an all-expenses-paid luxury vacation in the
Arabian desert may leave a viewer feeling by turns nostalgic,
disoriented, and impatient.“
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

“Let’s get the Sex back to the City of New York, please. It works
well there and doesn’t reduce the level of humour to someone falling
off a camel.”
Alex Zane, The Sun

“The ugly smell of unexamined privilege hangs over this film like the smoke from cheap incense.”
A.O. Scott, New York Times

Related posts:
Exploring the Middle East  
Destination guide: Morocco  
Adventure activities in Oman